Representing the 1st District of New Mexico

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Health Care

The ACA shows the need for universal healthcare

I'm encouraged to see bipartisan progress in the Senate on health care. We have an obligation to come together and address the two main issues in our health care system: cost and coverage. Read my op-ed in the Albuquerque Journal.

Long-Term Care

As a caregiver for my mother, I know that improving long-term care is not only a health issue. It's an economic issue, it's a jobs issue, it's a dignity and quality of life issue. With a growing population that’s going to require long-term care, the investments we make now will be even more valuable in the future – through better-quality care, more affordable services, good-paying jobs and advancements in medical research. Solving the looming long-term care crisis is also a way to protect and strengthen the economic security of women and minorities, who often end up becoming caregivers for their families.

National Care Corps Act

I have introduced a bill to create a national Care Corps within the Administration for Community Living at the Department of Health and Human Services to help address caregiving needs and give volunteers the experience of working with seniors and individuals with disabilities across the country. Corps members would receive benefits necessary to sustain them during their volunteer period and would be eligible for tuition assistance upon completion of their assignment. The National Care Corps Act:

Creates a national Care Corps, housed within the Administration for Community Living at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Places Corps volunteers in communities where they will provide services that help seniors and individuals with disabilities remain independent.

Provides volunteers with health insurance and other benefits during their time of service, along with an educational award that can be used to pay education costs or loans.

Helps build the caregiving and health care workforce needed to meet the demand for services.

Affordable Care Act Resources

The Health Insurance Marketplace (Exchange)

The Health Insurance Marketplace enables you to shop, compare, and enroll in a health insurance plan. You and your family can explore every qualified insurance plan in your area, along with any tax credits and free or low-cost insurance programs you may qualify for.

The individual responsibility requirement is a provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires you, your children, and anyone else that you claim as a dependent on your taxes to have health insurance in 2014 or pay a penalty.

Certain individuals (and their dependents) may be exempt from the penalty. These individuals include those whose household income is less than the filing threshold for federal income taxes for the applicable tax year (filing threshold exemption), as well as those whose required contribution for self-only coverage for a calendar year exceeds 8% of household income (affordability exemption).

If you are already receiving coverage through eligible employer-sponsored insurance, eligible individual insurance, grandfathered health plans, and federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, VA Health Care, CHIP and others, you do not need to purchase new health insurance.

More information about the individual responsibility requirement is available here.

Important Dates

2018 Open Enrollment Period: November 1, 2017 - December 15, 2017.

2018 plans start January 1, 2018.

Important Resources

New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange (NMHIX) — New Mexico chose to create its own insurance marketplace where individuals and business can shop for health insurance, apply for financial assistance, and receive help filling out forms and assessing options. You can also shop the marketplace by calling 1-855-99-NMHIX (1-855-996-6449). For this year, individuals in New Mexico can use Healthcare.gov to shop and sign up for health insurance.

Find Local Help — To find enrollment assistance and understand your health insurance options, make an appointment with an Enrollment Counselor or a registered New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange agent or broker near you.

Veterans and Military Health Care — If you are already enrolled in VA health care or TRICARE, you don’t need to take additional steps to meet the Affordable Care Act’s coverage standards. The health care law does not change VA health care of TRICARE benefits or out-of-pocket costs.

Indian Health Care — The Affordable Care Act includes special provisions for American Indians.

Small Businesses — The New Mexico Small business Health Options Program (SHOP) simplifies the process of buying insurance for small businesses and their employees.

Medicare — If you have Medicare, you are considered covered and don’t need to do anything. However, the Affordable Care Act expanded Medicare benefits, including free preventative services and, if you are in the prescription drug “donut hole”, discounts on brand-name prescription drugs.

Medicaid — New Mexico will expand its Medicaid program in 2014 to cover households with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. That works out to about $15,800 a year for 1 person or $32,500 for a family of 4. If you're eligible, you get free or low-cost care.

Children’s Health Insurance Program — The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health coverage to nearly 8 million children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low to afford private coverage. The Affordable Care Act strengthened CHIP by providing additional funding and maintaining CHIP’s eligibility standards.